Hope (8 page)

Penny changed the clothes quickly. She walked to the kitchen
and took the bag he’d brought the food back in. She placed the clothes in the
bag and then went to the front door. Damon stood with his knife ready to leave.

“Take my hand.”

She took his hand and left the apartment. Penny couldn’t believe
it had only been twenty-four hours since they’d first met. It felt to her like
she’d known him years. She trusted him, which was odd. The only other person
she’d ever trusted had been her mother.
 
Together,
they walked out of the apartment block and in the direction of the club.
Several groups of men lingered on corners. She tightened her grip in his hand
and ducked her head.

When she heard movement, she looked in the direction of the
sound to see a couple of men walking towards them.

“I might want to warn you all that she is Don’s property. If
you ruin his property, you’ll be the ones to pay.”

The men backed off with their hands raised in surrender. She
had never thought for a second that it would be that easy.

Damon continued walking, tucking her against his side. He
was taller than she, and it was easy for him to do. The cold air was seeping
into her bones. She didn’t have a jacket to keep the cold at bay.

“Why didn’t you wear a jacket?” he asked.

“I don’t own one.”

He muttered and cursed to himself.

When they got to the building Damon felt her tense beside
him. “Do you think any of the men will want me to read a book to them?” she
asked. The tone of voice let him know she was being sarcastic.

Damon laughed. “Don’t be a fool, Penny. Every man you meet
tonight will have sex in their brain. It is all they think about. When a guy
looks at you, remember he is figuring out how to get you naked and up the
nearest wall. They’ll be wondering what you’ll cost in exchangeable goods.”

She shuddered at the thought.

“Will you be thinking about sex?” she asked, and then
covered her mouth shocked by her questions.

His laughing stopped as he gazed down at her. “I guess we’ll
find out.”

He knocked on the door.
Matty
opened the door, letting them enter.

“No customers?” Damon asked. She held her bag of clothes
firmly against her chest.

“Don told me to send them away. He won’t open until it is
time.”

“It could be a restless night, leaving them so late.” Damon
removed his jacket.

“They’re Don’s orders.”

Damon nodded his head. “Have you seen Shelley?”

“She’s ‘round back giving the girls a talking to.”

“Come on, Princess. It is time for you to get ready for the
ball.”

Matty
laughed at his comment.
She followed him through the club. Damon knocked on a door, which was opened
seconds later by a topless woman.

“Damon, you came.”

The woman wrapped her arms around him. Penny let go of his
hand. She didn’t want to be part of his little reunion with any of the women.

He pulled the woman’s arms from around him. “Penny, this is
Kelly. Kelly, this is Penny.”

“The new girl, I’ve heard. She won’t get goods dressed like
that,” Kelly said, folding her arms over her chest.

“Where is Shelley?”

“Here,” Shelley said over the other woman’s shoulders.

“Can I leave Penny with you to get ready?” he asked.

“Sure.”

Damon turned back to her. She took a step back when he made
to reach out to her. He froze, and she wished she hadn’t. Seeing the naked
woman in his arms had made her jealous. Penny didn’t want him anywhere near her
after that.

“I’ll be fine. I’ll see you later.” She ducked past him and
walked into the room. Shelley closed the door.

“I can’t believe my eyes. A woman actually breezed right
past him,” Shelley said.

“It is good. She’s not woman enough for him anyway,” Kelly
said, slamming past her.

Great, one girl hated her already.

“Kelly hates everyone who likes Damon. He’s never given her
any promises, and the fact you’re living with him makes her jealous,” Shelley
said, taking her arm and leading her around the girls.

“How do you know I’m living with him?” Penny asked.

“Please, Damon Wright doesn’t take in anybody, and he
certainly doesn’t bring them to Don Michaels.”

Chapter Seven

Damon stood with Trevor near the dance floor. The tables
were filled to bursting with men who wanted to get a good show and the goods
they intended to exchange to get one of the girls for the night.

The club had been open about an hour, and they already had a
queue well out of the door.

“Do you think we’ll be in a fight tonight?” Trevor asked.

“I don’t know. They’re all behaving themselves.”

“The more moonshine they drink the more likely they’ll want
something without exchanging something, but then most wouldn’t be stupid enough
to pass up a fuck for a bit of shitty behaviour.”

Damon nodded his head in agreement. His gaze roamed the
floor looking for Penny. Damon hadn’t seen her yet, and he felt anxious to.
He’d promised to keep her safe. These men when they finally saw her would make
a play for her. He knew it in his gut.

“She’s ‘round the back. Don doesn’t want her coming out
until necessary,” Shelley said, coming up behind them.

“You mean when he’s made his point of being in control,” Damon
said.

“If you’ve got a problem with how the boss handles his
business or his leadership, take it up with him. Until then, Penny will come
out when necessary.”

Shelley moved past him to the bar. A couple of the men
approached her. The man working behind the bar sent them packing. They didn’t
supply beer, but they did supply a drink that was strong. It was amazing what
recipes the books had for drinks. No one got a play at Shelley. It was part of
the rules. She trained the women, kept them in line, and didn’t have to fuck
another man.

He’d never questioned the rule until now. The only man who
was allowed to make that rule was Don. Was there something going on with the red-head
and his boss? Damon wouldn’t believe it. Don was not the loving kind. He spent
a great deal of time fucking the new women. Surely there was nothing going on
between the two people.

Don walked out of his office and approached him.

“How is the night going?” Don asked.

“Slow at the moment.” Damon answered first, staring at
Shelley.

“At this rate, we’ll be out of a job,” Trevor said.

“Your woman will be out soon, Damon. Keep an eye on her.”

“Sure. Shelley told me what you had planned.”

Damon turned to look at his boss. There was no difference to
him.

“Good. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” Don moved away toward the
bar. He took the seat next to Shelley. The way the two were sitting they didn’t
appear to know each other.

Another hour passed, and then Damon saw her. The denim skirt
he’d cut up with his knife shaped her lovely ass. Her back was to him. He
didn’t mind as he admired her beautiful curves.

“How is life going with the new girl?” Trevor asked.

“Fine.
She’s too young and too
innocent for this world.”

“Who isn’t?”

Damon didn’t answer him. He watched as she took the serving
tray filled with drinks they offered. Her tongue peeked out while she
concentrated on moving the tray.

None of the men had noticed her. He watched while she moved
around the men, offering them a drink. The men took the drink, but their eyes
were glued to the stage. Kelly was currently humping the pole, showing what she
could do for the night. She wore a thong and a bra, which left nothing to the
imagination. All of the women were real. Plastic surgery was no longer
available. Kelly had admitted to him one night that she wished she had bigger
tits.

At the time he hadn’t thought anything about her tits. They
filled his hands and were nice to suck on. Now that he looked at Penny with her
impressive assets, he understood Kelly’s wishes. If Penny ever got on the
stage, she’d have every man panting to get inside her lush body. The shirt he’d
torn up pushed her breasts tight, showing a long length of cleavage. Damon tore
his gaze away. His cock thickened inside his jeans. The rush of blood from his
head to his dick made him feel a little dizzy. He’d never been affected by a
woman like this. It was like Penny was setting off every single alarm bell
inside his head.

“Dude, Kelly is giving you the eye again.”

Damon looked up at the stage to see the woman in question
sucking on a finger suggestively. He knew she wanted a repeat of a few months
ago. At the time he’d told her he only fucked women. He never shared them or
took them home. Glancing towards Penny, he wondered if Kelly thought there was
a chance for her now.

The bra came off followed by the panties she wore. The sight
of her no longer enticed him. He turned his gaze to find Penny in the middle of
a tug of war. Two men held each of her arms as another held the tray she’d been
carrying.

“We’re needed,” he said to Trevor.

He walked over to the men.

“She’s mine. I saw her first,” the one on the right said
tugging on her.

Damon wanted to kill all three men for even thinking they
had a chance with her.

“Let her go,” he said. Damon stopped in front of them
folding his arms over his chest. They all knew who he was and his reputation.

“Go away, Mad Dog. This doesn’t concern you.”

“That woman works here. She concerns me.” His hands
tightened into fists.

Go on, you
fucker. Push me, and you’ll be sorry.

“She’s not a dancer or a fucker. It doesn’t say anything
about not touching the staff.”

Shit.

Most of their serving staff was male. He turned to see Don
on his way over.

“What seems to be the problem,
gentlemen?”
Don asked.

Damon recognised his tone. On the outside, he appeared calm
and reasonable. On the inside, he’d be seething for anyone who thought they
could touch one of his women. They may be
women
who
slept with men, but they were still under Don’s protection, and that was why
Don got the loyalty from the women in his area.

“No problem, Mr. Michaels. We were just telling Mad Dog that
none of the rules state we couldn’t touch the serving staff,” the one on the
left mumbled giving a tight smile. “All the women are up for grabs.”

All the
colour had drained out
of Penny’s face. She looked at Damon with pleading eyes.

“The problem I have is that the rule states no one is to cause
a fuss. An exchange is made for the right to touch my women.”

“Yeah, women dancers and the ones we get to fuck.”

Don shook his head. “I don’t care what position the woman is
in. You follow my rules, and the rules state no touching women unless I say so.”

“But—”

“Are you arguing with me? Penny is here as a test to see if
you men deserve women servers. I aim to provide all sorts of entertainment. If
you don’t let her go and allow her to do her job, then she’ll be out of sight,
and you’ll have ugly-ass men serving you from now on.”

The niceness in Don was gone. The music had stopped, and all
heads had turned in their direction.

“Don’t ruin it for everyone. Let the girl go,” one of the
customers said.

The man on the right released her. “I’m sorry, Miss. You’re
very pretty.”

Penny blushed. Damon waited for the man on the left to let
her go. He knew he wasn’t happy.

Finally, he let her go and sat down with a pout to his lips.

“Here you go, Miss.” The one holding her tray handed it
back. Her hands were shaking as she took it from him.

“Thank you,” she said.

Her voice, compared to the rest of them, sounded sweet.

“From now on, no one touches the sweet princess,” Don said.
His voice was loud and clear.

Damon stared at her a few seconds longer even as Don told
him to follow him. She nodded her head and began serving once again.

He followed his boss to the bar. Shelley clapped her hands
as they approached.

“She really is a peach, Damon,” Shelley said.
 

“Thanks.”

He raised his hand to get a drink. Damon needed to cool his
head. Glancing behind him, he saw the men staring at her. She was bent over a
table handing a guy a drink. The leering almost undid him. They were watching
her ass as if they wanted a piece of it.